CET incident: Police record statements

CET incident: Police record statements
Saturday February 2 2008 09:28 IST

SHANGUMUGHAM Assistant Commissioner (AC) P. Reghunath has started a probe into the alleged manhandling of a fourth-semester student of the College of Engineering Thiruvananthapuram (CET) by senior students.

A team led by the AC inspected the room in the college where fourth-semester student Arjun was locked-up and harassed for four days from January 16. He also recorded the statement of the victim and the others concerned.

The police are of the view that since the victim was a fourth-semester student, the incident could not be considered as ragging, but only as atrocity. Meanwhile, the victim who was admitted to the Medical College Hospital here told reporters that there was negligence on the part of the police in probing the case. He alleged that he was assaulted by final year students and SFI activists Nikhil Nambiar, Jith James and Jithu D.

The victim’s parents have also approached the State Human Rights Commission. The All-India Democratic Students’ Organisation has also alleged that the police and the authorities concerned were trying to protect the accused SFI activists.

In another development, SFI activists staged a dharna at the college demanding action against Arjun in the wake of the complaints by first-semester students that Arjun had ragged them. The enquiry commission appointed by the college is yet to complete the probe.

Ragging a violation of human rights

Ragging a violation of human rights
Sunday February 3 2008 06:14 IST

THRISSUR: Ragging is a serious violation of human rights, said Health Secretary Usha Titus.

Presenting a paper on ''Challenges faced by medical fraternity'' organised by Jubilee Mission Medical College here on Saturday, she said that even in foreign countries ragging of the sort found in our country was unheard of.

She said that it was the fundamental responsibility of the doctor to give primary care to his patients. Over-specialisation and compartmentalisation were detrimental to patients.

District Collector M Beena presided over the function. Jubilee Mission Medical College principal Dr V K Ramankutty, director Fr Dr Francis Alapatt and college union chairman A Ahmed also spoke.

Teen fires air gun at mates

Teen fires air gun at mates
OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
Bangalore, Feb. 3: A 16-year-old fired at two of his classmates from an air gun and injured them, apparently as revenge for ragging.

Ashok (name changed), who had been practising shooting on his first-floor terrace for days, waited for Charan Kumar, 15, and Arun Kumar, 16, to come into view near the house on their way home yesterday afternoon before firing twice.

The pellets hit Charan on his forearm and Arun on his leg. Passers-by called a nearby police patrol vehicle and rushed the boys to Victoria Hospital, not far from the shooting scene in the middle-class Girinagar area. The boys were sent home after surgery to remove the pellets.

The incident comes less than two months after two Class VIII students shot dead a classmate who they said had been tormenting them at a Gurgaon school.

In Bangalore, too, there were warning signs. Ashok, said to be a bright Class X student, was allegedly teased often by a bunch of boys led by Arun. A fortnight ago, teachers at Swami Vivekananda School had to intervene when the boys got into a scuffle.

None of the parents had complained till last night, prompting police to lodge a suo motu case and book Ashok under the juvenile act. He will be produced before the juvenile justice board on Monday, officers said.

Charan’s father R.C. Kumar said he did not file a complaint as it involved his son’s classmate and board exams are due in March.

The police said they would question Ashok’s father, whom they did not name, for presenting his son with the air gun on his birthday recently. The boy had claimed initially that the gun belonged to his father but later admitted it was a gift. No licences are needed for air guns. It is rare for anyone to be killed by an air gun pellet.

Pledge to weed out social ills

Guwahati, Dec. 23: Students of Guwahati’s 10 leading colleges today resolved to put up a joint fight against bandh culture, ragging, private tuition and drug abuse.

A resolution to this effect was taken at a meeting organised by the Assam unit of the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) at Sudmerson Hall of Cotton College this afternoon.

The NSUI, the students’ wing of the Congress, also felicitated the office-bearers of the students’ unions of the colleges.

“Besides felicitating the students’ representatives, the NSUI organised a discussion on the four relevant issues. The participants exchanged views on the adverse effect of the ills plaguing society. At the end of the meeting, the representatives of the 10 colleges agreed to adopt a resolution,” the president of the state unit of the NSUI, Bibhuti Bhusan Borthakur, said.

“Students affected by bandhs, ragging, private tuition and addiction to drugs must unite to fight the social malaise.”

The representatives resolved to organise a series of awareness campaigns and meetings in their colleges from next month on the issues, particularly the bandh culture and drug addiction.

There will be interaction sessions between teachers and students to check private tuition.

Efforts will be made to strengthen anti-ragging cells and committees of the colleges to prevent incidents of ragging. The meeting adopted a resolution to constitute a co-ordination committee by the NSUI to keep in touch with the colleges for effective implementation of the initiatives planned to solve the problems.

“It is high time the student community raises its voice against the bandh culture. There are so many organisations which call bandhs at the drop of a hat,” the vice-president of the Cotton College Union Society, Munin Bora, said.

“Students are the worst-affected by the bandh culture. We also have to fight against drug addiction. Many students are ruining their brilliant careers after taking to drugs. The NSUI deserves praise for uniting different colleges to fight against the problems,” Bora said.

Drug abuse has not only compounded the problem of AIDS but also taken a heavy toll on the physical and mental health of the youths.

Students’ representatives from Cotton College, B. Borooah College, J.B. Law College, Handique Girls’ College, Pandu College, Pragjyotish College, Guwahati College, Dispur College, Lalit Chandra Bharali College and College of Veterinary Science attended today’s meeting.

Ragging: Test identification parade sought

THRISSUR: The five senior students of the Kerala Agricultural University’s Veterinary College, who were accused of ragging a first-year student of the college, have filed a petition in the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court here on Wednesday pleading the court to direct the inquiry officer to conduct a test identification parade.

The accused students, who were present in the court, expressed their readiness to present themselves before the authorities concerned for the test identification parade.

The students alleged that merely on the suspicion of their involvement in the case, the police are harassing them. The case will come up for hearing on Thursday.

Two-year jail term for ragging

Two-year jail term for ragging

LUCKNOW: Students indulging in ragging in educational institutions should remain prepared to serve a jail sentence of two years as the UP government is all set to make it a cognizable offence. A draft bill related to it was approved by the state cabinet presided by Chief Minister Mayawati on Monday.

Briefing reporters of the decisions taken in the cabinet meeting, cabinet secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh said that the chief minister had taken a serious not of ragging at educational institutions. Considering it to be a social evil, the cabinet approved a draft bill 'Ragging-2007', to be presented in the Assembly session beginning from Tuesday, said Singh.

He said that in the draft bill a provision has been made wherein a student, his parents or guardian can lodge a complaint with the head of the institution if the student is subjected to ragging. Upon receiving the complaint, the head of the institution will have to inquire the matter within seven days and if the complaint is prima facie found to be correct, students involved in the act (ragging) would immediately be debarred from the institution. Thereafter a case would be registered with the police for further action. If no prima facie evidence is found in the complaint, head of institution would inform about the facts to the complainant in writing.

Ragging jail plan

Ragging jail plan
OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
Lucknow, Dec. 3: The Mayavati cabinet today approved a proposal for a two-year jail term for ragging offenders in educational institutions.

The Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Ragging Bill, 2007, is expected to be tabled in the Assembly during its special session beginning tomorrow. It draws heavily from a similar act in Maharashtra but has safeguards against its possible abuse.

If passed, the act will come into force by early next year in 15 engineering colleges run by the state and the central government, 21 universities and the 300-odd government-affiliated undergraduate and medical colleges in Uttar Pradesh.

The act will also be in force in the nearly 1,200 private institutions, education department officers said.

The Assembly had earlier this year set up a seven-member committee to recommend measures to curb ragging, which has turned into a recurring menace in the state.

The latest incident was on October 15, when an engineering student of a government polytechnic institute in Pratapgarh committed suicide by consuming poison in his hostel room, police sources said.

“The anti-ragging law has become an imperative in view of the increasing incidents of ragging in educational institutions,” cabinet secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh said.

The proposed act makes it mandatory for the head of an institution to probe a complaint within seven days of it being lodged and recommend penal action to the nearest police station. If he fails to do so, it would be treated as complicity and he might be liable for punitive action, Singh said.

Govt set to introduce anti-ragging bill

Govt set to introduce anti-ragging bill

Lucknow, December 3 The state government has decided to introduce an anti-ragging bill soon, said state Cabinet Secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh today.
While talking about the upcoming bill at a press conference on Monday, Singh said, “The bill will have punitive measures, including imprisonment, monetary fine for students indulging in ragging.”

He added, “The bill will have a provision for two years of imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10,000 for students involved in ragging.”

“Those accused of ragging will get ample time to prove their point. Within 30 days from the date of the registration of the complaint, the accused can prove their point before the divisional commissioners,” he further said.

Meanwhile, head of educational institutions, academicians and students of Uttar Pradesh hailed the state government’s initiative to counter ragging.

“The anti-ragging bill will definitely act as a deterrent for those senior students who physically or physiologically abuse their juniors,” said Lucknow University Vice-Chancellor Prof Ram Prakash Singh.

The V-C added that in the last few days, he has received several complaints of ragging from different hostels of the varsity. “Taking strict cognisance of these complaints, we will soon conduct raids in these hostels,” he added.

Echoing similar sentiments, Dr A N Singh, associated with LU’s social work department, said, “The move was long overdue as it will help weeding out the social menace from educational institutions.”

Appreciating the state government’s move, Mudit Kumar, a mass communication student from Lucknow University, said, “The anti-ragging bill will allay the ragging fears of junior students to a considerable extent.”

UP adopts Bill, 2-yr jail term for ragging

UP adopts Bill, 2-yr jail term for ragging

LUCKNOW: In a significant move to curb ragging in educational institutions, the Mayawati government on Thursday adopted a Bill in the state assembly making provisions for two-year imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10,000 for offenders.

The Bill was tabled in the House by parliamentary affairs minister Lalji Verma and passed by a voice vote without any debate. Another important provision made in the bill - UP Ban On Ragging In Educational Institutions Bill, 2007 - is that the offenders would not be able to get admission in any institution for a period of five years.

It, however, gives an opportunity to the students to appeal within 30 days against their expulsion before a commissioner, whose decision in the matter would be final.

The Bill also says in case of written complaints by students, their parents or guardians and teachers, the head of the institution should probe the charges within a week. It authorises the institution head to expel the offenders, if found guilty, within a week and file a complaint with the police. The head of the institution could be punished if he fails to take any action.

The Bill underlines the government's concern over the increasing incidents of ragging in different institutions in UP in the recent past.

Mayawati cabinet okays bill on ragging

Mayawati cabinet okays bill on ragging

Lucknow, Dec 03: Paving the way for a total ban on ragging in educational institutions, the Uttar Pradesh government on Monday approved a proposed bill which envisages two-year prison terms and fines of Rs 10,000 for offenders.

The cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mayawati approved the draft ragging in Educational Institutions Bill 2007, cabinet secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh today reporters here.

He said under the bill, those found guilty could face up to two years in jail and a fine of Rs 10,000.

It permits students expelled from institutions on ragging charges to appeal within 30 days before a commissioner, whose decision in the matter would be final, Singh said.

The bill also provides that in case of written complaints by students, their parents or guardians and teachers, the head of the educational institution should probe the charges within a week.

The provision holds that the institution head should expel the offenders, if found guilty, within a week and file a complaint with the area police station.

The government's concerns have been raised over the numerous incidents of ragging across the state in the past few months in places like Greater Noida and gorakhpur.

Six students were expelled from Apeejay Institute of Technology in Greater Noida in October on ragging charges and an 18-year-old student of Madan Mohan Malviya Engineering College in Gorakhpur committed suicide in September after allegedly being tortured by his seniors.

Four Lucknow University students suspended for ragging

Four Lucknow University students suspended for ragging

Four students of Lucknow University have been suspended and FIRs lodged against them for allegedly ragging juniors and threatening them with dire consequences if they failed to obey their diktats.

Acting on a complaint of BA first year students, the LU Proctorial Board suspended the four second year students-- Mani Singh, Mritunjay Singh, Prem Singh and Bhanu Pratap and lodged FIRs against them on Tuesday, university sources said on Wednesday.

Juniors had alleged last week that the four used to assign them work with the threat that those who failed to do it would be made to urinate on heaters or singed with cigarette butts.

Both the accused and complainant are residents of Acharya Narendra Dev hostel of LU.

Though FIRs have been lodged against the accused, the university authorities have insitituted an inquiry to check the veracity of the charges, LU Proctor AN Singh said.

Ragging accused create ruckus

Ragging accused create ruckus

LUCKNOW: Just about the time on Thursday when Vidhan Sabha was giving final shape to the anti-ragging Act, a group of student leaders in Lucknow University staged a protest against a senior professor who was about to take action against those alleged of ragging the junior students.

The high voltage drama unfolded on the LU campus in the afternoon when some of the student leaders alleged chief provost and director of Academic Staff College Prof Nishi Pandey of misbehaving with a student Digvijay Singh while he was on his way to the Department of Linguistics in which is enrolled.

Prof Pandey, however, shrugged off the charges. Instead, she said, Digvijay "deliberately" came in between the conversation she was having with a couple of students of BA (II) whose name had figured in the list of those involved in ragging of juniors. According to the version given by Prof Pandey to media, she along with proctor AN Singh had definite information that some of the students in Acharya Narendra Dev hostel had indulged in ragging of first-year students. In fact, she charged, ragging was being done in the presence of some students leaders in room number 105, 106 and 126.

It was following this that the LU administration had given a notice to the occupants of these three rooms. Occupant of room number 105, Sandeep Kumar, was, however, out of station. It was thus occupants of room number 106 and 126, Ranvijay Singh and Mrityunjay Yadav, respectively, who had gone to meet Prof Pandey. They even gave an application to the chief provost claiming that they were not involved in any kind of ragging. It was while they were on way to Prof Pandey's office that they were intercepted by a student, Maan Singh, a student of III rd semester, Criminology. Both Digvijay and Mrityunjay, confirmed this to the media.

Maan Singh, according to the duo, said that he would get the matter solved with the chief provost. The two, however, "refused the help" offered by Singh. Maan Singh soon left.

"But then came in this boy Ranvijay, and he stood close to us. I asked him to show his ID card and leave. But he started misbehaving. I was thus forced to deposit his ID," Prof Nishi said.

It was then Ranvijay started shouting and called upon students like Abhishek Mishra alias 'Baba', who claims himself to be a student leader. Incidentally, Ranvijay, Maan Singh and Baba had been arrested by police on September 9 on charges of rowdyism inside the university premises. Maan Singh, later talking to media, admitted this.

The student leaders soon gathered around the Academic Staff College, sat on a dharna and started raising slogans against the chief provost, who then called in the police. Ranvijay, who had occupied the centrestage by then, insisted that it was the chief provost who misbehaved and hurled abuses.

Proctor AN Singh said that such rowdyism would not be tolerated at any cost. "We would soon take some serious action which would also include getting an FIR lodged against all such rowdy students," Singh said.

Incidentally, the agitation comes barely a month before when LU vice-chancellor Prof RP Singh - who dealt with rowdy students with an iron hand -is set to complete his term. Faculty members observed that the agitation was part of the rowdy student's larger game plan to influence the students with their "leadership" qualities.

Expulsion must for ragging, says SC

Expulsion must for ragging, says SC

NEW DELHI: Concerned over the tardy implementation of its previous orders, Supreme Court on Monday directed educational institutions to adopt a "zero tolerance" policy to ragging and expel students found guilty of maltreating freshers.

Laying down expulsion of offenders in ragging cases as the minimum punishment, the court said this was needed to end the menace that could lead to extreme torture and harassment and even loss of life.

The court took a stern view, ruling out lighter punishment like suspension, after many incidents came to light despite the SC order in May this year which banned ragging in colleges and universities on the basis of the Raghavan Committee recommendations.
Colleges have now been asked to put it on their prospectus that students found guilty of ragging would be expelled immediately.

The SC, in May, had warned students that if they harassed freshers physically or mentally, they would be liable to be booked by police, expelled from college and denied admission in future. But with ragging offences still regularly reported, the court felt it was time to get tougher.

SC widens ragging rod reach

SC widens ragging rod reach
OUR LEGAL CORRESPONDENT
New Delhi, Dec. 10: The Supreme Court today extended its anti-ragging rules to medical, nursing and dental colleges as well as government-run polytechnics across the country.

The apex court also noted that its strict “message” against ragging did not appear to have been driven home.

“It seems that the message to persons indulging in ragging has not achieved the desired results,” the court said after additional solicitor-general Gopal Subramanian drew its attention to 100-odd ragging cases reported in the print media during the current academic year.

All the media reports have been referred to the Raghavan committee, a Supreme Court-appointed panel to curb the menace.

The committee, headed by former CBI chief R.K. Raghavan, and the authorities of various universities will look into the reports and suggest action against the offenders.

The court directed the Raghavan committee to suggest ways to deal with those found guilty of ragging.

The apex court had in May this year issued several guidelines on ragging, including filing of an FIR by the institution concerned.

The court today directed all educational institutions to include in their admission prospectus a clause clearly stating that any student found ragging another would be expelled.

'Mention action against ragging in prospectus'

NEW DELHI: An SC bench comprising Justices Arijit Pasayat and Aftab Alam on Monday concluded that its earlier orders on ragging had not been effective after it referred to a report submitted by amicus curiae and additional solicitor general Gopal Subramaniam detailing incidents since May.

Recognising that its warnings may now need more bite, the Bench directed all educational institutions to clearly mention in their admission prospectus that any student accused of ragging would be given a chance to explain his conduct, and if found guilty, be straightaway expelled from the institution.

In order to ensure that its instructions are taken with due seriousness, the SC asked the Medical Council of India, Dental Council of India and Nursing Council of India alongwith state governments and the Union agriculture ministry to implement recommendations of the Raghavan Committee to eliminate ragging in institutions. It specifically asked the committee to probe two cases — physical torture of a handicapped student and forcible administration of narcotic drugs on another — and report to the court.

The court had in May this year given a slew of stern directions to stamp out ragging in educational institutions,
including mandatory registration of FIRs against seniors if they were found guilty. The punishment should be "exemplary and justifiably harsh to stop recurrence of the ugly incidents", it had said.

protests continue in JU

Jammu, Dec 08 (NAK): While Vice Chancellor Jammu University Prof Amitab Mattoo assured fool-proof security arrangement in and around campus, the ongoing protest demonstrations in the Varsity continued for the third consecutive day today.

Students gathered outside the administrative block, for the third consecutive day today, and stage a protest demonstration. Raising slogans against the University authorities, the protestors were demanding complaints registered against some student leaders by the authorities.

The protestors burnt down effigy of VC and threatened that they will intensify the agitation in case the authorities failed to concede their demands.

Meanwhile, in an attempt to ease out the situation, Vice Chancellor Prof. Amitabh Mattoo today visited Nehru Hostel and Swami Vivekanand Hostel and assured the scholars and students that adequate security arrangements would made in hostels and campus premises.

Accompanied by senior officials of the campus, the VC announced that the 24 hours security would be placed in service in and around the hostel premises so as to ensure safety of the students.

“The security system of the University will be further strengthened with the help of the state police till deemed necessary," assured Vice Chancellor adding that those students indulging in unlawful activities and harassment of the students in the hostels will be dealt with iron hands and action against those will be initiated according to the law.

Vice Chancellor also assured the Scholars and students that action against the culprits will be initiated immediately after the submission of the inquiry report on Sunday.

Clashes broke out on Thursday after some outsiders barged inside one of the boy’s hostel and thrashed some students. The students alleged that they were regularly being harassed by their seniors on the name of ragging.

The situation turned ugly when on next day students entered into administrative block and broke furniture and other fixtures on the campus, while protesting against the failure of the authorities to provide security to students and hostel inmates.

UP Assembly adopts Bill on ragging

UP Assembly adopts Bill on ragging

Lucknow, (PTI): The Uttar Pradesh Assembly on Thursday adopted a Bill aimed at curbing ragging in educational institutions and which envisages two-year prison terms and fine of Rs 10,000 for offenders.

The Bill, which was earlier approved by the state cabinet, was tabled in the House by Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Lalji Verma, and was passed by a voice-vote without any debate.

The UP Ban on Ragging in Educational Institutions Bill 2007, provides for an imprisonment up to two-years and a fine of Rs 10,000 to offenders, who would not be able to get admission in any educational institution for a period of five years from the date of the offence.

It permits students, expelled from institutions on ragging charges, to appeal within 30 days before a Commissioner, whose decision in the matter would be final, Singh said.

The Bill also provides that in case of written complaints by students, their parents or guardians and teachers, the head of the institution should probe the charges within a week.

It provides that the institution head can expel the offenders, if found guilty, within a week, and file a complaint with the area police station. The head of the institution can also be punished if he fail to take action against the offenders.

The government's concerns have been raised over the numerous incidents of ragging across the state in the past few months in places like Gorakhpur and Greater Noida.

Six students were expelled from Apeejay Institute of Technology in Greater Noida in October on ragging charges, while a student of Madan Mohan Malviya Engineering College in Gorakhpur committed suicide in September after allegedly being tortured by his seniors.


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Six students held for misbehaviour

Six students held for misbehaviour

LUCKNOW: As many as six student leaders of the Lucknow University were arrested on Friday on charges of vandalism. The development comes a day after LU authorities lodged a complaint against some of the student leaders for allegedly misbehaving with chief provost and director of Academic Staff College Nishi Pandey. The students were, however, released after being detained in the police lockup for nearly six hours.

The six students included Ranvijay Singh and Maan Singh. The duo was reportedly behind the entire drama which unfolded in front of Academic Staff College on Thursday when Ranvijay alleged Prof Pandey of misbehaving with him.

Significantly, Prof Pandey and proctor AN Singh have acted tough against the student leaders who were engaged in the ragging of their juniors in the university hostels. The two senior faculty members had surveyed some of the hostels and found some rooms where the junior students were reportedly roughed up by the seniors.

College prospectus must have expulsion warning on ragging: SC

College prospectus must have expulsion warning on ragging: SC

New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Monday directed that universities and colleges shall, henceforth, mention in their admission prospectus that students who indulge in ragging would be expelled from the institution.

A bench of Justices Arijit Pasayat and Aftab Alam, also said that its guidelines for ensuring ban of ragging in universities/colleges, shall apply to colleges under the Medical Council of India (MCI), Dental Council of India; polytechnics and those institutes under the Ministry of Agriculture.

The apex court passed the directions after the amicus curiae (friend of court) and Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramaniam sought such directions, as many incidents of ragging continued to be reported in the country despite its earlier directions for implementation of the Raghavan committee recommendations.

Moreover, he said, that there were misconceptions among authorities of medical colleges, polytechnics and institutions imparting education on agriculture that the anti-ragging rules were not applicable to them as they were under separate regulatory bodies.

The amicus curiae also mentioned two separate incidents of ragging in which a student was reportedly forced to consume narcotic substances and another physically-challenged student was subjected to ragging by his seniors.



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Jammu University students stage protest against ragging

Jammu University students stage protest against ragging
Vijay Kumar, 09 December 2007, Sunday

A GROUP of students, who were agitated over the repeated incidents of ragging, ransacked office complex of vice chancellor of Jammu University Prof Amitabh Mattoo last Thursday. They staged protest later outside his chamber demanding strict actions against those students involved in ragging incidents. According to the report, a group of students were ragged by senior students in one of the hostels in Jammu University campus. Junior students were reportedly thrashed, paraded naked and later humiliated by some of the senior students. While staging protest, the students were unhappy with the university authorities for not taking prompt action against students involved in incidents of ragging happened on Wednesday night.

Agitated students alleged that the incidents of ragging were going on inside the hostel for past several days and the issue was brought into the notice of the university authorities. “On Wednesday evening also when the incident took place we immediately contacted our hostel warden but he refused to come and informed us to meet him in the morning”, students peeved over the delayed response told media persons outside the VC chamber amid chanting slogans loudly.

The victimized students alleged that they brought the matter into the notice of the university authorities early in the morning, yet they failed to take any action against the culprits. Angry over the poor response of the authorities, the students assembled outside the main gate of the administrative block and smashed windowpanes, flowerpots and wall paintings. Later, they staged protest outside the VC chamber and chanted slogans demanding action against the students responsible for the act.

University authorities reportedly made several attempts to pacify the agitating students but went in vain. Groups of students also clashed with each other exchanging hot words outside VC’s office trading charges against each other. Dean student welfare PS Pathania told media that university administration has already identified those students who were behind ragging incidents. “We have informed local police authorities and appropriate action will be taken against them soon, he added. Superintendent of Police, who arrived on the spot, said that University administration have been asked to submit a written complain against the students so that they can register an FIR for further action in this case.

No case of ragging reported from Punjab colleges

CHANDIGARH: Not a single case of ragging was reported in any Government and Private Medical/ Nursing/Ayurvedic/Homeopathic and any Para-medical teaching institute in the Punjab State during a current academic year, due to strict vigilance measures initiated by the Punjab Government.

Stating this here Tuesday Tikshan Sud, Medical Education & Research Minister said that the Punjab Medical Education Department had conducted a detailed exercise to control ragging in the State by involving faculty, parents as well as students in this campaign. He said that the department today circulated the latest judgment of Supreme Court on ragging to all Medial Institutes in the State and they have been directed to include the clause of 'expulsion of students involved in ragging from the institute', in the prospectus of next academic year.

Sud said that Medical Superintendent in each institute has been designated as Nodal Officer to check ragging and he would be held accountable in any case of ragging reported in their respective institute.

The Medical Education Minister said that the Punjab Government was committed to check the practice of ragging in the State and the Minister solicited the co-operation all strata of society in this campaign of Punjab Government.

Ragging cry puts off Besu exam

Ragging cry puts off Besu exam
A STAFF REPORTER

Postgraduate students of Bengal Engineering and Science University (Besu) boycotted semester exams that were to start on Tuesday to protest the alleged ragging of an undergraduate student.

Besu postponed the exams for an indefinite period. On Monday, the undergraduate exams were indefinitely postponed following a boycott by students.

The Students’ Federation of India (SFI) alleged that Afroz Ahmed, a second-year student of information technology, had been ragged in his hostel by Independent Consolidation (IC) supporters late on Monday. The IC, however, denied the charge, saying Afroz was involved in assaulting its supporters.

Vice-chancellor Nikhil Ranjan Banerjea said: “The allegation has been sent to the disciplinary committee.”

'Check ragging at any cost'

'Check ragging at any cost'
Posted at Monday, 10 December 2007 21:12 IST

New Delhi, Dec 10: The Supreme Court on Monday said that measures should be taken to curb incidents of ragging in colleges and universities.
The apex court directed that ragging should be curbed at any cost. Besides general colleges, those colleges which grant professional degrees should also check incidents of ragging, it ruled.
The court also said that the recommendation of Raghavan Committee, looking into the issue of ragging in educational institutions, must be implemented.
The six-member committee is headed by former CBI Director R. K. Raghavan.

Apex court includes private colleges in anti-ragging ambit

Apex court includes private colleges in anti-ragging ambit

New Delhi, Dec 10 - Coming down heavily on ragging in colleges, the Supreme Court Monday said its directions issued in May on the menace should be extended to include private, unaided colleges and professional educational institutes as well.

A bench of Justices Arijit Pasayat and Aftab Alam said that ragging is plaguing not merely government educational institutions but private educational institutions too and there is no reason why it should be not curbed.

It asked the central and state governments to implement the court's earlier directions to arrest the menace of ragging in private educational institutions, including professional colleges on medicine, engineering, dental science, management, pharmacy and agriculture.

The court directed bodies like the Medical Council of India, Dental Council of India and Bar Council of India to suggest guidelines to it to curtail ragging of junior students by seniors.

It asked educational institutions to include a condition and warning in their admission forms saying that any student found indulging in ragging would be expelled after being given a chance to explain his act.

The bench lambasted the government saying that its earlier directions to do away with ragging did not appear to have made any dent in the situation owing to lack of action by the government.

It asked Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramanian, who is assisting the court in the matter as amicus curie, to file a fresh status report on its earlier directions for implementation of the Ragahvan Committee report to check ragging in educational institutions.

In its directions in May, the court had said ragging, which sometimes involves violence, abuse and even sexual harassment, is unacceptable and deserves severe punishment.

Adopt Raghavan panel’s recommendations to check ragging, says SC

Adopt Raghavan panel’s recommendations to check ragging, says SC
UNI


New Delhi, Dec 10 The Supreme Court today said earlier directions issued by it to check the menace of ragging did not have the desired effects and held that all universities, colleges and polytechnics run by the Centre and the states shall adopt recommendations of the Raghavan Committee.

A bench comprising Mr Justice Arijit Pasayat and Mr Justice Aftab Alam directed all medical, dental, nursing colleges and polytechnics in the country to insert a clause in their prospectus that if the students found indulging in ragging after having been given an opportunity to explain their stand, shall be expelled.

The Court said the Raghavan Committee would examine the list of over 100 cases of torture in the name of ragging in which physically handicapped students were subjected to torture and freshers were being forced to take intoxicating drugs. It directed the Committee to suggest further measures to check the menace as notwithstanding the concerns shown by the court, a large number of instances had taken place.

The apex court said the Raghavan Committee in consultation with universities should prepare fresh norms to be adopted by the educational institutions.

The Dental Council of India, Medical Council of India, Nursing Council of India and agriculture polytechnics under the Union ministry of agriculture as well as state governments should adopt and implement the recommendations of the Committee.

The court also directed amicus curiae Mr Gopal Subramanium to file fresh status report and adjourned the hearing till third week of March next year.

link to report - http://www.navhindtimes.com/articles.php?Story_ID=121133

UGC spares rag-rod

UGC spares rag-rod
CHARU SUDAN KASTURI
New Delhi, Nov. 27: The University Grants Commission has asked affiliates across India to follow all recommendations of a Supreme Court-appointed committee to curb ragging, but is unwilling to do so itself.

The Supreme Court committee headed by former CBI chief R.K. Raghavan had recommended that funds received by universities be linked to the implementation of anti-ragging measures.

Amid reports of rising instances of ragging, the UGC has decided against implementing the recommendation, seen by committee members and activists as a key weapon in the Centre’s armoury.

UGC officials said the commission does not intend to pressure universities into implementing the Raghavan committee’s recommendations by threatening to snap their purse strings.

“There is no plan to link the performance of universities in curbing ragging to the funding they receive,” a key policymaker at the UGC said.

UGC chairman Sukhdeo Thorat confirmed this. “The measures we are taking are enough,” he said.

Replying to a question in the Lok Sabha yesterday, junior education minister D. Purandeshwari said the government was aware of 70 reports of ragging this year.

According to anti-ragging activists, the figure last year was in the mid-forties — indicating a rise in cases this year.

But the UGC believes it would be next to impossible to implement the recommendation right now. It is learnt that the UGC has not yet informed the Raghavan committee of its decision.

One member of the committee, informed by The Telegraph, said the UGC’s decision was “very disappointing”.

“It is surprising because our aim was to give the Centre a strong weapon to whip those universities which do not take strong anti-ragging measures advocated by the committee,” another member of the committee said.

The Raghavan committee, however, is planning to approach the Supreme Court for ordering the UGC to implement the recommendation, the member said. “Once the court orders the UGC, they will have to follow the recommendation,” he added. The court is hearing the case early December.

Two hauled up for ragging

Two hauled up for ragging


NEW DELHI: Two separate cases have been registered against two students of Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Institute for the Physically Handicapped for allegedly ragging a freshman. The incident of ragging, which was captured by a first year student of the Institute on his mobile phone camera, was reported last week .

According to the police, a freshman was ragged by an intern, Santosh, on the night of November 17 and the incident was caught on camera by Anshul, a first year student. A complaint was subsequently lodged by the victim the next day.

On November 19, the victim informed the college authorities who in turn suspended the internship of Santosh and asked both the accused to vacate the hostel.

Sources said that on hearing a complaint has been lodged against him, Santosh allegedly threatened the freshman and warned him against reporting the incident.

A second FIR was lodged on November 21 against Santosh for intimidating the victim and forcing him to withdraw his complaint.

When the victim and his batchmates refused to withdraw the complaint, Santosh made a second attempt to threaten them.

Guntur just can’t ‘caste’ it aside

Guntur just can’t ‘caste’ it aside

GUNTUR: The crackdown on troublesome freaks and casteist forces notwithstanding, there has been an alarming spurt in ragging and caste related clashes in Guntur district of late.

Pitched battles between students of two colleges in Bapatla and an engineering college in Chowdavaram, a slew of police cases, protests and the inevitable political interference have followed one after the other in quick succession.

In Bapatla engineering college, students of a particular section ‘ruled’ that only they could sit in the front rows of the college bus. They flexed their muscles when the others objected.

Six of the injured lodged a complaint with the police which led to the arrest of 16 students, belonging to the upper castes.

The police went on an overdrive and paraded the arrested on the roads. That didn’t help and the situation remains the same in the college.

Some allege that students of a particular upper caste ‘reserved’ the play ground for good. When the other students used the ground, they were attacked and one Gade Vamsi Krishna was severely bashed up on Nov 20.

Acting on his complaint, the cops booked five students but no less a personage than TDP district president Prattipati Pulla Rao entered the scene and got the five culprits released.

Coming to RVR and JC Engineering College on the city outskirts, students of a particular section roughed up Shaik Mujir, son of Guntur MLA Sk Subhani, on November 17.

Police arrested three students, Venkatesh, Chandu and Sriharsha, on the charges of ragging. The incident assumed political colours when the Telugu Yuvata activists staged dharnas and NSUI activists burnt a college bus.

In the case of Bapatla Arts and Science college, a lecturer allegedly divided students as per their castes and religion and allotted them different benches. The students boycotted the classes in protest. The lecturer quietly went on leave.

In RVR & JC college, the students who were victims of alleged ragging were also suspended. The action of the management attracted criticism and Superintendent of Police Mahesh Chandra Ladda promised to take up the matter with the college management.

Speaking to this website’s newspaper, MLC KS Lakshmana Rao said, “college managements should discourage students at the beginning when they try to harass the students of other sections. The menace of ragging cannot be contained by the police alone as the colleges are being set up by particular sections in the coastal and Rayalaseema region.”

SFI former district secretary Nalini Kant felt anti-ragging committees should be formed in the colleges to curb ragging.

An engineering third year student said they used to bear the harassment from students of a particular section, fearing the wrath of the management.

Minister wants anti-ragging bill enforced

Minister wants anti-ragging bill enforced

Minister of Higher Education Professor Vishva Waranapala stressed the need for enforcing the Anti-Ragging Bill in Parliament yesterday to stop ragging which has become a serious issue.
Speaking during the Committee stage of the Budget in the House yesterday Mr. Waranapala said many parents of university students had written to him requesting him to ban ragging in universities. “This bill needs to be implemented as so many students have suffered mental illnesses because of this menace,” he said.
He said ragging was considered a criminal offence by the Supreme Courts in India. JHU Parliamentary Group Leader Ven Attureliye Ratana Thera who also called for the banning of ragging said this had made the universities similar to Kilinochchi which is controlled by the LTTE through terror. The Venerable Thera said the situation in the universities had become so bad that it had come to a level where the students were the thrashing heads of others who went against their opinion.

70 cases of ragging in 2007-08

70 cases of ragging in 2007-08

NEW DELHI: Ragging continues to take a toll on students in colleges in the country, with as many as 70 cases of the illegal act, nine of them ending in suicides, being reported in 2007-08.

The court-appointed committee set up for monitoring implementation of the recommendations of the Raghavan Committee on measures for prevention of ragging has come across 70 cases reported in the print media during the current academic year, Minister of HRD D Purandeswari told Rajya Sabha in a written reply on Monday.

"Ragging is reported to be the cause of nine cases of suicide and three cases of serious injuries among these cases," she said.

The Minister said the Central Government has drawn the attention of states and regulatory institutions to the various recommendations of the Raghavan committee.

The HRD Ministry has also launched a media campaign through newspapers.